Holiday gift guide: Just the ticket for the travellers on your list

Heys lightweight and manouevrable SpinAIR II suitcases range in price from $275 for the compact 21-inch to $325 for the generous 30-inch size. Available at the Bay stores, www.HBC.com.

Photograph by: Handout photo
, The Bay

So often travel sounds like a lot more fun than it actually is. Bad weather, strikes, reduced service and increased security all do their best to persuade people that they’re better off staying at home. But not having the right gear does, too. These great gift ideas can bring the joy back into travel for the globetrotter on your list.

Having the right luggage can make all the difference between a trip that’s a delight and one that’s pure torment. Of course, a bag has to be practical and functional. But wouldn’t it be nice if it had a bit of style, too? These pieces offer plenty of both.

Moleskine is known for the simple, elegant and functional design of its signature notebook, similar to the ones Picasso and Ernest Hemingway scribbled in back in the day. Now the Italian company has released a collection of sleek bags to match. The reporter bag has a comfortable adjustable strap and is water repellent, lightly padded and big enough to carry a laptop. Clark Kent would approve. It retails for $125 – and the classic notebook for $16 – at the Bay, www.hbc.com.

J.Crew’s Biennial satchel is the perfect travelling woman’s handbag. It’s big enough to carry your essentials, stylish enough to go just about anywhere and made from a supple pebbled leather that looks luxe but is tough enough to deal with careless security staff. It retails for $398 at J.Crew stores, www.jcrew.com.

With all the baggage fees and hassles of checking your luggage, a good carry-on is a travel essential. The Tiffany Leather Collection Cooper duffle is just that bag. A dome bag in natural Italian grain leather, it comes in navy, onyx or espresso and has a canvas lining with two interior pockets and a zip compartment, as well as a detachable luggage tag. It retails for $1,550 at Tiffany stores, www.tiffany.ca.

Sometimes, though, you still need a full-sized suitcase, and for that there’s the Heys SpinAir II. The SpinAir’s material combines the strength of hard-sided luggage with the convenience of soft-sided bags. It is also exceptionally lightweight, expandable and easy to manoeuvre, thanks to its spinner wheels. Besides, it just looks great. The compact 21-inch retails for $275, the 26-inch for $315 and the 30-inch for $325 at the Bay, www.hbc.com.

When you pick out a suitcase for a loved one, be sure to pick up a Heys xScale for yourself. This tiny, portable scale lets you weigh luggage before check-in so you can make sure all those holiday gifts haven’t put you over the weight limit. It’s $24.97 at the Bay, www.hbc.com.

And don’t forget – a glossy, colourful patent luggage tag makes it easy to identify luggage on the carousel and makes a terrific stocking stuffer, too. Find one for $27.50 at J.Crew stores, www.jcrew.com.

There are also plenty of gadgets that can improve life on the road. The very best are lightweight and multi-functional, and that’s why we love the new Kobo Vox Colour eReader. It provides access to the world’s biggest bookstore – more than 2.2 million books, including new releases, bestsellers and free books – as well as newspapers, magazines and travel guides, all in beautiful colour. Plus it comes pre-loaded with email and connects with Facebook, Twitter and thousands of apps. The Kobo Vox Colour eReader retails for $199 at Indigo and Chapters stores, www.indigo.ca.

Even handier, and even more compact, is the new iPhone 4S. Lost in the Quebec countryside? There’s an app for that. Looking for a rijstaffel restaurant in Amsterdam? There’s an app for that, too. Besides, the phone has an eight-megapixel camera that gives you stunning stills and vibrant video, as well as a powerful dual-core A5 chip and iCloud, which lets all your information travel with you wherever you go. Prices start at $649 at the Apple store, www.apple.com/ca.

Then again, for the old-school traveller who prefers the gracious pace of days gone by, there’s Louis Vuitton’s 2012 City Guides Collection. These elegant little books provide all the stylish traveller really needs to know about the world’s great cities. They’re $30 each or $120 for the box set at Louis Vuitton boutiques, www.louisvuitton.com.

Ultimately, though, the best travel gift is travel itself. A Fairmont Gift card will let you give gourmet meals, spa treatments, golf outings and, of course, accommodation at one of the world’s greatest luxury hotel chains. The cards are available in denominations ranging from $50 US to $5,000 US, and can be used for just about anything at Fairmont Hotels worldwide. Visit www.fairmont.com for more info.

As for how to get there, make it easy with Air Canada’s new Flight Pass. The pass is a package of prepaid, electronic flight credits that can be used for travel within a select geographic zone – say, between Toronto and Paris – just about any time. In fact, flights can be booked online 24/7 and up to one hour before departure, plus you get complimentary advance seat selection. It’s flexible, easy to manage online and offers great value. Prices start at $740 for the New York Weekend Pass. Note that you have to be an Aeroplan member to purchase a Flight Pass and restrictions do apply; visit www.aircanada.com for more information.

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